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Gondolin
Gondolin was a hidden city of the Elves located approximately in the middle of the land of Beleriand in Middle-earth. It was founded by Turgon the Wise, a Ñoldorin lord in the early First Age. It endured the longest of all the Ñoldorin kingdoms in exile, lasting nearly four centuries during the Years of the Sun. History As recounted in The Silmarillion, the Vala Ulmo, the Lord of Waters, revealed the location of the Vale of Tumladen to the Noldorin Lord Turgon in a dream around the year FA 50. Under this divine guidance, Turgon travelled from his kingdom in Nevrast and found the vale in FA 53. Within the Encircling Mountains just west of Dorthonion and east of the river Sirion, lay a round level plain with sheer walls on all sides and a ravine and tunnel leading out to the southwest known as the Hidden Way. In the middle of the vale there was a steep hill which was called Amon Gwareth. There Turgon decided to found a great city that would be protected by the mountains and hidden from the Dark Lord Morgoth. For nearly seventy-five years, Turgon and his people built Gondolin in secret. After it was completed in FA 116, he took with him to dwell in the hidden city his entire people in Nevrast — almost a third of the Ñoldor — as well as nearly three quarters of the northern Sindar. The city stood for nearly 400 years until it was betrayed to Morgoth by Maeglin, Turgon's nephew, and sacked shortly thereafter by the Dark Lord's forces.The Silmarillion: Quenta Silmarillion Gondolin was described as this - "Now the streets of Gondolin were paved with stone and wide, kerbed with marble, and fair houses and courts amid gardens of bright flowers were set about the ways, and many towers of great slenderness and beauty builded of white marble and carved most marvelously rose to the heaven. Squares there were lit with fountains and the home of birds that sang amid the branches of their aged trees, but of all these the greatest was that place where stood the King's palace, and the tower thereof was the loftiest in the city, and the fountains that played before the doors shot twenty fathoms and seven in the air and fell in a singing rain of crystal; therein did the sun glitter splendidly by day, and the moon most magically shimmered by night. The birds that dwelt there were of the whiteness of snow and their voices sweeter than a lullaby of music."The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 2: The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, III: "The Fall of Gondolin" Specifications The Hidden Way was protected by seven gates, all constantly guarded; the first of wood, then stone, Bronze, Iron, Silver, Gold, and Steel.The Atlas of Middle-earth, The First Age, The Elder Days, "Gondolin"Unfinished Tales, Part One: The First Age, I: "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin" Etymology It was originally called Ondolindë, which is Quenya for "The Rock of the Music of Water", after the springs of Amon Gwareth. The name was later changed to its Sindarin form which meant Hidden Rock.The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XV: "Of the Noldor in Beleriand"The Silmarillion, Index of Names Houses of Gondolin People of interest *Aredhel - Princess of Gondolin and sister of Turgon *Elemmakil - Captain of the Guard of the Outer Gate''Unfinished Tales,'' Part One: The First Age, I: "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin" *Enerdhil - A possibly mythical jewel-smith of the city''Unfinished Tales,'' Part One: The First Age, I: "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin" *Voronwë - Mariner that accompanied Tuor to the city''Unfinished Tales,'' Part One: The First Age, I: "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin"The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXIII: "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin" Other versions of the legendarium Gondolin was known as the "City of Seven Names". Its Gnomish names were: *Gondobar (Stone House) *Gondothlimbar (House of the Stone Folk) *Gwarestrin (Tower of Guard) *Gar Thurion (Secret Place) *Loth (Flower) *Lothengriol (Plan Flower-Blossom, Lily of the Valley) See also *Gar Ainion, a place in Gondolin Gallery Translations References ca:Gondolin de:Gondolin es:Gondolin fr:Gondolin it:Gondolin pl:Gondolin ru:Гондолин Category:Elven Cities Category:Elven Kingdoms